Method of mounting sign characters



July 13 9 1926. 1,592,208

ELM. HAWES METHOD OF MOUNTING SIGN CHARACTERS fl Filed Oct. 27. 192

VIIIIIIIIIIIIl/Illll[I'll/'11 Ill Edward /7 j-lawes Patented July 13, 1926.

EDVi/ARD M. I-IAFIES, GF IYIAEIETTA, OHIO.

METHOD OF MGUNTING SZGN GHAE-ACTEBS.

Application filed October 27, 1924:. Serial No. 745,953.

This invention relates to improved sign characters, the different symbols or letters being provided ith integral pins or prongs with the upper prongs of greater length than the lower in order to permit the characters to be readily mounted in position mainly supported by the upper prongs while the lower prongs act as spacers or position ing means whereby the lower portions of the characters are held away from a mounting to cause shadows to becast so that the let ters will stand out in relief.

It is another object of this invention to provide characters adapted to be readily mounted with the lower portions of the.

characters at a greater distance from the mounting than the upper portions to cause the characters to stand out boldly caused by shadows resulting from the peculiar mounting of the characters.

It is also an object of this invention to provide sign characters with mounting prongs of different length to permit the longer prongs to be used as supports while the shorter prongs are used as spacers.

It is an important object of this invention to provide sign characters of simple and effective construction adapted to no readily mounted with the face of the characters inclined with respect to the surface of the mounting on which the characters are supported so that shadow effects are produced causing the characters to stand out in bold relief.

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the specification and the accompanying drawings.

This invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

On the drawings: 7

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a series of letters provided with mounting prongs and embodying the principles of this in Figure 5 is a front elevation of a modified form of character.

Figure 6 is a section taken on line 66 of Figure 5.

figure 7 is a front elevation of another modified form of character.

Figure 8 is a section taken on line 88 of Figure 7.

As shown on the drawings:

The reference numeral 1 indicates a plurality of letters or characters which may be of any selected. configuration and may be constructed of any material desired. Integrally formed at substantially right angles to the upper edge of each character are one or more prongs or pins 2 which serve as supports for mounting the characters in place upon a wall 3 or drapery a as the case may be. Also integrally formed at right angles to the bottom edge of each character are one or more prongs or pins 5which serve as spacers for holding the lower portion of the character away from the mounting as illustrated in Figure l.

lVhen a character is mounted in position the upper prong 2 is forced through the drapery 4 or into the support 3 to support the character in place as illustrated in Figure at. The lower prongs 5, however, merely rest on the drapery or support and are disposed at a slight incline with respect thereto holding the lower portion of the character spaced away from the support so that the surface of the character is inclined with re spect to the utrface of the mounting. This arrangement causes the characters when on a mounting (Figure 3) to throw shadows which tend to cause the characters to stand out in bold relief so that they can be very readily seen and read. The effect produced is highly satisfactory and makes a particularly attractive and noticeable sign arrangement adapted for advertising purposes and the like. By forming the prongs 5 pointed even though the same are not forced into the drapery or other support, still they will contact with the back ground with sufficient force to afford resistance against lateral dis-v placement at such points.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate a modified form of character or" symbol comprising a front plate 6 and rearwardly directed flanges 7. Integrally formed on the rear of the upper portion of th o te 'fl flange 7 is a rear wardly pm 5. 2

to serve as a means for mounting the letter or character in place on a support. Also integrally formed on the lower portion of the character is a lower pin or prong 8 which is shorter than the upper prong 8. The lower prong 8 is adapted to serve as a spacer for holding the lower portion of the flange character or letter away from the support to position the character in a. plane inclined with respect to the plane of the support. This arrangement, as hereinhetore described. causes the letter or character to throw a shadow on the support for the purpose of causing the letter or character to stand out in bold relief.

Figures 7 and 8 illustrate another modified form of letter or cha facter wherein the erence numeral 9 indicates the hody port-ion or back plate ot the particular letter selected,

"said back plate having forwardly directed engaging a support to hold the character mounted in position. A shorter pin or prong 12 is integrally formed on the bot.- tom portion of the character back plate and is adapted to serve as a spacer for holding the lower portion of the character spaced from the mounting for the purpose hereinbetore described.

It will. of course, be understood that the improved characters may be in the form of the letters of the alphabet or any other symbols of selected configuration. The said characters may be solid, as illustrated in Figure 1, or flanged, as illustrated in Figures 5 and 7. The. characters or symbols may be made of any selected material and the prongs or pins may be integrally struck from the material or rigidly secured thereto by any desired means. The important feature of the characters is to have the upper supporting pins or prongs of sutlicicnt length to permit the same to be projected into a wall or support to securely hold the characters in place, while the lower pins or prongs are shorter and are adapted to serve as spacing means for holding the lower ends of the characters when mounted in position spaced from the support or mounting.

In view of the tactthat the sign characters may be readily mounted in place or removed from the mounting, said characters may he used repeatedly in different combinations to produce di'ti ereut signs. \Vith a combination of letters or characters of the class described in this patent a sign u'iarker outfit is provided the characters of which may be repeatedly used on any desired mountings to provide diilierent signs. therel.=y obviating the necessity of havi. g characters constructed each time a new sign is required.

1 am aware that many changes may he made and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this in rention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon. otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

The method of mounting a sign character, which consists in forming said charact r with av rel atively long and a relatively nort prong oppositely disposed. and then inserting said long prong into a support g surface, said short prong contacting only with said surface.

In testimony whereof l have hereunto subscribed my name.

EDlVARD M. HAWES. 

